One of the many lessons I’ve learned in my professional life is that career paths are not always straight. They’re more like a succession of steps, with times when you feel stuck in between. When you realize your career is stagnated, it might be shocking, as it was for me. Recognizing that your career has stalled allows you to take action to get it moving again.
You're missing out on promotion possibilities.
You probably felt you had the qualities and experience for the job, but someone you thought was less qualified gained it, leaving you perplexed as to how and why this happened. If this happens on a frequent basis, it’s a sign that your career at this company is stagnating.
Requesting feedback from your boss and/or HR is an excellent approach to learning how your talents and expertise are perceived inside your company.
You are not being challenged at work
Is your job routine the same as everyone else’s? Have you lost interest in your job because it no longer challenges you?
“Why am I not feeling challenged?” you might wonder. Is it because there isn’t enough work for you to grow and increase your abilities at your current company? Is it because the opportunities you’re looking for aren’t available inside your existing team?
Take some time to consider your current situation and what you’re searching for in terms of increasing your options. As a result, devise a plan.
Projects with great exposure at executive level are assigned to other people
This is a telltale indicator that your career has come to a halt. When projects are given and you don’t receive the projects you wanted, and you continually wind up with tasks that are problematic, you begin to wonder “Why?”
Monitor the next round of project assignments if this is a one-time scenario. If this becomes a regular occurrence, inquire about the allocation procedure with your manager/PMO. Questions to consider include: What is the project allocation process? How do you go about requesting certain projects? What can I do to make things better?
The response you get or don’t get in certain circumstances will give you a good idea of what’s going on.
There is little or no investment in your development.
Whether it’s professional or personal development, the ability to better yourself is a vital indicator of whether or not your career has stagnated. If your company is investing in those around you but not you, ask yourself why you aren’t receiving the same possibilities.
Take a look at yourself as well. Why not invest in your own development if you aren’t already?
Requesting feedback from your boss and/or HR, peers, and customers is an excellent method to learn how others see your abilities and competencies.
Project management is no longer enjoyable or fascinating
Project management can be both thrilling and difficult at the same time. If your job isn’t bringing you any joy and is instead causing you a lot of stress, it’s time to make a change.
This is an option if you wish to give your role/career some time in the hopes that it will improve with time. However, you must set a time limit for how long you will accept the circumstance.
